Visual arts

In visual arts, students explore, enjoy and respond to a wide range of artists and artworks.

Stage 4

Visual arts is a mandatory course in Stage 4 (Year 7 and 8). Students explore, enjoy and respond to a wide range of artists and artworks. They learn to engage with practice and the frames in art making and critical and historical studies.

All students in Year 7 and 8 will make artworks using a wide range of materials and techniques with various investigations of their world.

Within the following visual arts mandatory units covered in Year 7 and 8, students will make artworks in a range of 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional and 4-dimensional forms including drawing, paintings, ceramics, sculpture, photography, printmaking and digital media.

The use and understanding of information and communication technologies (ICT) is embedded in these units of work where students will use a range of technologies to make and study visual artworks.

The units covered include:

Facing Art
Extraordinary Creatures
Space Invaders
Heroes and Idols.

In Years 7 and 8, visual arts excursions may be planned during the year to specific art exhibitions related to the unit of work being studied.

The weighting for the course is 70% practical and 30% theory.

Equipment required: Visual Arts Process Diary (VAPD), USB, art kit materials.

Course fees: $35 per year. This includes a VAPD, an art kit and all materials required for practical activities. Students will receive their VAPD after $5 of the subject fee has been paid and their art kit once they have paid $15 of the subject fee.

Download the Year 7 and 8 assessment schedule (DOCX 17KB) for more information.

Image: Students creating striking artworks during class.

Stage 5

The Year 9 and 10 visual arts elective course provides opportunities for broader, deeper and more extensive learning in visual arts beyond the limits of the mandatory course.

In elective courses, students engage with forms and investigations that extend the students' understanding of art practice, the conceptual framework and the frames in making and interpreting art.

The concept of the 'body of work' is investigated and students may produce one or more individual works that are related through subject and/or form. Students continue to develop their understanding and skills using the concepts of practice, the conceptual framework and the frames in 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional and 4-dimensional forms. Students are required to keep a Visual Arts Process Diary (VAPD) which provides evidence of the decisions and actions made by students in the production of their artworks.

Visual Arts elective can be studied for 100 or 200 hours in Stage 5 (Years 9 and 10).

The units covered in visual arts elective include:

Pop Into Art
The Mad Hatter's Tea Party
Twisted Reality
Art Survivor.

Students will develop a body of work and explore forms such as drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, mixed media, installation and digital photography.

In Year 9 and 10 visual arts an excursion is planned during the year to a specific art exhibition related to the unit of work being studied. This may include Art Express, the Biennale of Sydney, Sculpture by the Sea or the Wyndham College HSC Visual Arts Breakfast.

The weighting for the course is 60% practical and 40% theory.

Course duration: 1 year (100 hours) for Year 9 as a one-year elective or 2 years (200 hours) for Year 9 and 10 as a two-year elective.

Pre-requisites: Nil.

Equipment required: Visual Arts Process Diary (VAPD), USB, art kit materials.

Course fees: $45 per year. This includes a VAPD and an art kit. Students will receive their VAPD after $5 of the subject fee has been paid and their art kit once they have paid $15 of the subject fee.

Download the Year 9 and 10 assessment schedule (DOCX 17.8KB) for more information.